Chicken Hash....

I can't believe we are already on the second week of June.  I hope the second week brings nicer weather than the first!  We had rain and dreary weather all last week and I am looking forward to some sunshine.

A couple months back, I was looking through a cookbook in Costco and saw a recipe for Chicken Hash.  I took note of the ingredients and then came home to recreate it myself.  It turned out amazing and my girls loved it!

Chicken Hash

2 TBSP coconut oil

2-3 chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

1 sweet potato grated

1 Granny Smith apple (I used Gala since that 

what I had in the house) chopped and peeled

1/4-1/2 t red pepper flakes

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

baby spinach or arugula (optional)

Cook the cubed chicken in the coconut oil on medium heat.  Once it is browned, add the sweet potato and apple.  Add remaining ingredients and saute for another 10-15 minutes. 

This was a quick and simple recipe on a night when I needed something quick!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Happy Monday!

Vanilla Granola Bars

I love granola bars.  They are great to keep on hand for a busy day and a quick snack.  However, finding one that isn't full of preservatives and sugar is really hard.  It is even harder finding a recipe that doesn't contain sugar or flour.  I decided to put together a simple granola bar that I could quickly whip up to have on hand.  

Vanilla Granola Bars

2/3 c All-natural peanut butter

2/3 c raw honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

3 cups oats

1/4 c unsweetened coconut

1/4 c raisins

Combine peanut butter and vanilla in a pan over low heat until combined.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and protein powder.  Add in remaining ingredients.  Spread in an 8x8 pan.  Place in fridge until set.  Cut and enjoy.  Store in the refrigerator.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup...

It's been a couple weeks since I posted.  We've had way too many snow days and below average cold temps.  I am thrilled it is March and looking forward to spring fast approaching.  I thought I would share a couple of my time saving kitchen tips and a soup.

When it comes to meal time, it can be so hard to find the time to prepare a meal, especially if you are a working mom or a mom to young kids.  So I want to share a couple tricks that I have used over the years to make meal time much less stressful and easier.

1.  When preparing a casserole or soup, make double and freeze the extra.  This gives you a quick meal to pull out on a busy night.
2.  I buy a huge package of chicken and break it down into individual meals.  If I am using a marinade, I add it to the bag.  I throw it in the freezer.  I just pull it out that morning and as it thaws, it is marinating all day.
3.  Prepare meat in advance.  I will brown a bunch of ground beef (or turkey) and separate into individual servings for tacos or spaghetti.  I will also cook a bunch of chicken and shred it for casseroles or soups and freeze in individual servings.  This way my meat is all prepared and I just have to throw it all together.
4.  Simplify.  At least once a week we have a meatless meal.  Usually it is salad and baked potatoes, but sometimes it is something different and quick and easy.  We also clean out our fridge and have a leftover night.  If we did not eat the leftovers for lunches, I will forgo a planned meal and we will clean out the fridge.
5.  Frozen veggies are always great to have on hand and can quickly be turned into something as easy as stir fry on a busy night.
6.  Meal prep on the weekend.  Spend an hour or two on Saturday or Sunday prepping for the week.  Cut up all your fresh veggies when you bring them home from the store so they are ready for the week ahead.

These are just a couple tips of mine to help simplify a busy week night.  I used to have a freezer full of meals when my kids were younger.  I would always double what I was making or split it in half and freeze part.  I would then be able to pull a meal out of the freezer one or two nights a week.

I picked this recipe up a couple years ago.  I have changed it to make it gluten free for me, but you can still make it the original way.  My family loves this soup and requests it frequently.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

5 cups broccoli florets (I use frozen)

6 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cup milk or half and half (half and half will be creamier)

1/4 cup cornstarch (or 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour)

3 cups grated cheddar cheese (we prefer sharp)

Steam the broccoli till tender.  Chop and set aside.  Combine milk and cornstarch and whisk until combined.  In saucepan, combine broth and milk.  (If using flour combine broth and milk, then slowly whisk in flour).  Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally.  Cook until it starts to thicken, not too thick.  Add chopped broccoli.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Add cheese, stir until it is completely melted.  Serve and enjoy!  

Just a few pictures of our last few weeks.

Have a great Monday!

Chicken pot pie

We are still recuperating from an extremely busy weekend.  Yesterday was just a cold dreary day and the perfect day to cuddle up on the couch and just enjoy some down time.  This winter has been so cold and dreary, I am really missing the sun!  On Monday, when I saw what the weather was going to be like, I decided I need a comfort food on the menu and Chicken Pot Pie it was.  I used the crust from one recipe and then just created the filling myself.  The crust is grain free and gluten free.  Click HERE for the crust recipe.  

Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:

1 cup blanched almond flour

3/4 cup tapioca starch

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt

1/4 teaspoon gluten free baking powder

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 cup very cold butter

1 large egg

3 Tablespoons ice cold water

Pot Pie Ingredients:

2 cooked, shredded chicken breasts

1-1/2 Tablespoons butter

1 bag mixed veggies

2-3 small potatoes, diced

1 small onion, finely chopped

homemade cream of chicken (recipe below)

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme (or use the spice from your pantry)

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or use the spice from your pantry)

Crust Instructions: 

1.  In the bowl of the food processor, combine almond flour, tapioca flour, paprika, salt, baking powder, and white pepper.  Pulse a couple of times to get rid of any lumps and combine.

2.  Using a cheese grater (I just cut mine into small cubes), grate cold butter into flour and spice mixture.

3.  Add egg.  Pulse 5-6 times so butter and egg are just incorporated. Don't over mix. 

4.  Add cold water and use a spatula to mix in until combine.

5.  Transfer dough to a bowl or piece of parchment paper.  Place in freezer for 1/2 hour.

6.  Remove dough from freezer. It should be hard and not sticky. Place between two pieces of parchment or wax paper and rolls out to desired size or just your fingers to push into shape you want. I used a single baking dish to cook my pot pie so tried to shape my dough to cover it. You will want to do the same or shape the dough to cover individual dishes, however you plan on baking the pot pie(s).Once you have the shape(s) you need, leave the dough between the parchment paper, place on a flat dish or tray to keep its shape and place back in the freezer for an additional 30 to 45 minutes or until ready to use.

Pot Pie Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Saute onion and potatoes in butter.  

3.  Combine shredded chicken, mixed veggies, potatoes, onion, spices, and homemade cream of chicken.  Put into 11x7 baking dish.

4.  Remove rolled out dough from the freezer and gently remove from parchment paper from one side.  Flip dough onto baking dish and carefully remove remainder of parchment paper letting the dough fall onto the pot pie.  Scrap the edges a little so that there isn't too much overhang.  Remove any excess dough from the dish and discard.  Use a small knife to cut 2 to 3 slits to allow some steam to escape while cooking.

5.  Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until crust is beginning to brown all over.  Allow to rest 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Homemade Cream of Chicken

10 oz milk (dairy free or regular)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch

1/2 Tablespoon butter

1 Chicken boullion cube

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.  Cook on medium-high heat until thickened.  Remove from heat and use.  This is equal to one can of soup. 

I have been using this recipe for years.  I love how creamy and easy it is!  I can quickly make this to use in any recipe and I always have the ingredients on hand.  

Meals and more

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!  We enjoyed a relaxing weekend at home.  After an extremely exhausting week, the girls and I spent Saturday at home on the couch.  It was exactly what I needed and so nice to be able to do absolutely nothing!   Once again, I was not disappointed in my meal choices for the week.  I pinned this recipe on Pinterest.

Clean Eating Chicken Marsala

2 (6-8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced in half and pounded thin  

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used a gluten free flour blend)

2 tablespoon  olive oil, divided

3 cups sliced, fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup Marsala wine

1 cup organic chicken stock

salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour and tap off excess.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet until hot and saute the chicken breasts for about 3 minutes on each side. They will be golden brown.
3. Put the chicken breasts on a plate and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and add the sliced mushrooms.
5. Cook the mushrooms until they are beginning to brown around the edges.
6. Add the Marsala wine and cook until the wine is reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and cook about 3 minutes more. The sauce will thicken slightly.
7. Lower the heat to medium and add the chicken breasts back to the pan. Cook a few minutes more until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
8.  Serve with pasta, quinoa or brown rice.  I served mine with mashed potatoes. 

AMAZING, amazing, amazing!  There are no other words to describe this recipe!  It was a crowd pleaser as well and I'm pretty sure it is a close tie between this and the Maple Crusted Chicken for their favorite so far. 

Friday nights are usually homemade pizza and movie night in our house if we don't have any plans.  It's been a while since we've done this and so Saturday night we had a pizza and movie night.  I make my crust recipe and divide it into fourths and make four small crusts so everyone can make their own pizza.  Everyone enjoys making their own pizza and it adds to the fun.  I have done this for birthday parties.  I will also make extra crust and put in the freezer for a quick and easy meal or our next pizza night.  

Homemade Pizza Crust

2 cup whole wheat or white flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1-1/4 teaspoon instant rise yeast

2 teaspoons sodium free Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons honey

3/4 cup warm water

2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Mix first 5 ingredients. 
2. Add the wet ingredients and mix well until dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
3. Knead dough for 5 minutes on a floured surface (I put my dough in my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook and set my timer for 5 minutes) or until smooth and elasticity.
4. You can use immediately or let rise and then roll out.  Roll out dough on a floured surface 12-inch crust or four small crusts.
5. Bake at 425 for 5-6 minutes until dough is partially cooked (you can freeze dough at this point if you aren't using immediately).
6. Add your favorite toppings and bake until done, additional 10-15 minutes.

I have been using this recipe for my homemade pizza for 7 years and it is the best I have found.  You can make it in a bread machine.  Place all your wet ingredients in first and then add your dry ingredients.  Add your yeast last.  

I make a separate gluten free crust for myself.  Click HERE for my favorite gluten free crust. 

Completely off the subject, but I came across this shirt yesterday and I think I need to put it on my wish list. :)

Have a great Monday!

Meal Planning Monday

Happy Monday!!  We had an amazing weekend and enjoyed spending it with family and friends.  

It was so hard to decide what meals to try this week.  I used to be really good with sitting down and making a meal plan every week, going to the store, and sticking to my plan.  I have thoroughly enjoyed getting back to meal planning the last two weeks.  It is such a huge stress reliever to not be standing in my kitchen at 5 p.m. trying to figure out what I can I pull out of my hat to make for dinner that night.  

The first meal I tried this week was Maple Crusted Chicken.  For those who don't know, I have a wheat allergy, so I had to make a few modifications to the recipe so I could eat it.  Click HERE for the original recipe.

Gluten Free Maple Crusted Chicken

1 chicken breast per person (I cut mine in half so they were thinner or you could use chicken tenders)

3/4 cup Gluten Free Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Baking Flour)

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

1 egg beaten

4 tablespoons maple syrup (plus a little more to drizzle at the end)

Coconut oil

In one shallow dish or bowl, combine flour and pepper.  In a second bowl, beat your one egg. Take each chicken breast and pour one tablespoon of syrup on each one (I didn't use a measurement for this, I just drizzled the maple syrup over the chicken breasts), coating both sides.  Then dip it first in the flour mix, coating well, then dip it in the egg mix coating both sides, then dip it one more time back in the flour mix. 

Here is where I changed the recipe.  Heat coconut oil in a skillet, place chicken in the skillet and brown on each side.  Once browned, put on cookie sheet or dish and bake in the oven.  Bake 8 minutes, flip chicken over finish cooking another 8 minutes. Your chicken should be brown and kind of crispy with the juices running clear.

Serve each chicken breast with a drizzle of syrup.  We used honey instead of maple syrup drizzled over at the end.  

Amazing!!  The only word to describe this was AMAZING!!  You MUST try this recipe!  

The second recipe I tried this week, wasn't truly a new recipe.  I had another recipe on my menu and then realized the night before I was missing two ingredients, so I decided to put a new spin on an old recipe.

Chicken Lime Tacos

1 pound chicken breasts (I only used 3 chicken breasts this time)

1 cup chicken broth

3 Tablespoons Chili Powder

3 drops doTERRA Lime Essential oil* (or 3 Tablespoons lime juice)

Favorite toppings cheese, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, sour cream, etc.

Place all ingredients in your crock pot.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.  When your chicken is done, shred your chicken.  You can use for tacos, make a rice bowl, make a taco salad.  The options are endless.  

We made tacos.  I love this recipe because it is so versatile and I have all the ingredients on hand to quickly make this.  I can make extra and throw it in the freezer for a quick meal one night if need be.  

Today is my meal planning today and I will be back next Monday with a new recipe or two.  

*If you are going to use essential oil, please make sure you are using 100% pure essential oil with no fillers.  I only use doTERRA essential oils.

Meals

I have really struggled to meal plan consistently since we moved back in March.  I decided last week I am trying at least one new meal every week if not two.  We have become so bored with eating the same thing over and over and I decided it was time for a change.  So this week, I tried not one, but two new recipes.

The first recipe I tried was Mix and Match Mama's Sausage & Corn Chowder.  My family loved this recipe.  I made a few changes.   I used 4 potatoes (they were small) instead of just two and to offset the extra potatoes, I used 4 cups of milk instead of two.  I also did not use a can of cream corn because I did not have it.  Instead, I used frozen corn and it turned out just fine.  If you are looking for a new soup for your winter rotation give this a try.

The second recipe I tried was One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese.  This recipe was so quick and easy to make.  She says it is a 30-minute meal and it absolutely is!  The only change I made is I did not put the cheese on top of the entire pot of soup.  Everyone was able to add their own cheese to their bowl.  I loved how hearty this soup was.  It was definitely filling and I loved how it put a new twist on two classics.   Out of both recipe this was my kids favorite.  Unfortunately, I can't choose.  I loved them both and I will definitely be making them again!

I am currently still working on my meal plan for this week.  I will be back next week to share what new recipes I tried.  Please comment below if you have any recipes you think I should try.  I hope you have a great Monday!